Metal roof-deck construction



March 26, 1929. KANE METAL ROOF DECK CONSTRUCTION Filed June 12, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet gwuemtoz March 26, 1929. T. H. KANE METAL ROOF DECK CONSTRUCTION Filed June 12, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet EM 7a, 55

March 26, 1929.

T. H. KANE METAL ROOF DECK CONSTRUCTION Filed June 12, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet gwuentop Patented Mar. 26, 1929.

l UNITED STATES 1,706,924 PATENT OFFICE.

worms a. naive, or Yocizesrown, 01110; noLiAa savmes AND rnus'r COMPANY,

EKECUTOR OF SAID THOMAS H. KANE,

DECEASED, ASSIGNOR TO TBI J'SCON STEEL COMPANY, OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

METAL ROOF-DECK CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed June 12,

This invention relates to fireproof building construction and more particularly to a metal roof decking, the units OfWlllCh can be completely fabricated at the factory and which are adaptable for ready and permanent assembly when making the roof of the building.

Primarily the invention contemplates a fireproof metal roof-deck for bu ldings of 1 a reinforced construction and easily manufactured and assembled. To that end it is the purpose of the invention to provide a fabricated metal roof-deck built up of relatively narrow strips or sheets of metal, in 1a a manner analogous to the laying of a board flooring, and to form strong relnforced or stifi'ened joints throughout the underside of the decking by the act of the workmen 1n fitting together the metal strips and placing them in the common roofing plane.

A further object of the invention is to provide the metal roof-deck with sufficient reinforcement or stiffening throughout the underside thereof, longitudinally of all joints or seams, in order that the decking Wlll be sufficiently strong to resist and sustain the ordinary loads imposed thereon, such as the load of the workmen in walking over the roof during fabrication and when applying an the surfacing material thereto, and also the load of snow and wind pressure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a metal roof-deck, which, when completely fabricated in situ, presents a smooth exterior surface that can be readily insulated and waterproofed by any of the materials which may be selected for that purpose.

With these and other objects in view to which will more readily appear as thenature of the invention is more fully understood the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illusae trated and claimed.

While susceptible of' structural modification in a variety of forms certain preferred and practical embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings,

. in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a section of a metal roof-deck, embodying the features of the present invention, and illustrating a preferable way of forming the end-lap .1926- Serial N0. 115,576.

joint between the ends of adjoining, strips or sheets in the same longltudlnal row.

Figure 2 1s a cross-sectlonal View of the structure shown in Fig. 1 on the line of section 2-2 of such figure.

Figure 3 is a sectional View longitudinally N of a. row of metal strips on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a detail view of one form of re- 'inforcing side connecting joint between the Figures 6 and 7, 8 and 9, 10 and 11, 12

and 13, 14 and 15 and 16 and 17 respectively are paired views similar to the pair of views .4 and 5 showing other forms of reinforced connecting joints, and the manner of makingd such joints when the decking is being Figure 18 is a detail view showing a form of construction wherein sufficient space is permitted at the top of the side joint to receive a nailing strip of 'wood or other material to facilitate fastening down a covering material.

The present invention primarily consists of a metal roof-deck comprising a plurality of relatively narrow flat metal strips or plates A, as distinguished from wide sheets or plates of metal, and which fiat metal strips are adaptedto be assembled in jointed relation over the supporting purlins or beams P usually employed in the roof structure of buildings. The relatively narrow fiat metal strips or plates A are adapted to be laid in jointed relation in a manner similar to the laying of a floor with tongue and groove floor strips or boards. To provide for the jointed connection between the side edges of the metal strips the said strips are formed at theirside edges with depending stiffening flanges B. Each of these stifiening flanges is provided with a joint forming element mating or registering with a complemental joint forming element on. the flange of the adjoining strip, the joint being made and locked by the act of the workman y will befirmly locked against in fitting together the metal strips and placing the same in the common roofing plane.

The joint constrl'iction between adjoin ng or contiguous metal strips A may assume a variety of forms, but in all constructions it is desirable to. provide a joint that will not interfere with the facile assembly of the metal strips or plates by merely the act of hooking or sliding the same together in contiguous or close fitting relation, and it is also desirable to provide joints which are locked against lateral separation and which in addition to serving as oints orseams provide a strong depending stiffening rib throughout the entire deck along the line of the joint connection between adjoining plates.

For illustrative purposes several types of connecting joints between the edges of the metal strips or lates A are shown in the drawings. In t e examples illustrated in Figs. 4 to 9 inclusive of the drawings the types there shown involve a rocking or rotary movement to bring the adjoining metal strips into interlocked jointed relation. For instance, in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings the de ending stifiening flange B at one edge 0 each metal strip is shown as formed with a'groove or channel g. having inclined upper and lower walls 2-2, and the flange B at the opposite longitudinal ed e of each metal strip is provided with an oil-standing inclined joint-tongue 3 which is disposed at an inclination to the horizontal plane and is adapted to berocked or rotated into groove or chan' the angularly disposed nel 1 of theadjacent strip 1n the manner indicated in Fig. 4 of the drawings.- Thus, when the joint is made or completed by bringing both metal stri roofing plane, as shown in Fi 5, the Strips ateral separation and the joint'forming elements 1nter locked in the manner described will produce a stifl'ening rib lengthwise of the roof deck. In the form of construction just described the parts may be additionally strengthened or stiffened by forming at the lower edges of the depending flan s B the lateral supplemental stifl'ening anges 4.

Another type of joint wherein the joint is made by a relative rotary or rocking movement of the adjoining strips is shown in Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings, wherein each metal strip A is formed at one longitudinal edge-with an overhanging joint lip 5, and at its corresponding opposite longitudinal edge with a complemental seat or rabbet 6, the lower edges of both of the depending side flanges mental stifl'ening flanges 7. In this form of construction, that is, the one shown in Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings it .is preferable to ,provide a slight incline 8 atthe underside of the joint hp 5 so that when the parts are s into the common B being formed with lateral suppleuoaoiu rocked or rotated, as indicated in Fig. 6, into the, matching or registering relation, as shown in Fig. 7, the joint parts will be firmly held together and.. locked against ready lateral separation.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawings each metal strip A is provided at one longitudinal edge with a downturned joint hook 9 spaced from the adjacent maindepending flange B and at its opposite edge with a depressed channel 10 a apted to receive the joint hook 9 of the adjoining metal strip. Also, in the form of construction shown in Figs. 8 and 9 both of the main depending flanges B are formed with lateralsupplemental stifl'ening flangesll, and it is necessary in assembling the parts shown in these figures to bring the joint hook 9 of one metal strip over the depressed channel 10 at the edge of the adjoining stri and then relatively rotate the strips into t e flat roofing plane to complete the joint and interlock the parts together as shown in Fig. 9.

A modification of the construction shown in Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawings, which is intended to producea very tight joint is shown in Figs. 10 and 11. Therein the outer wall of the depressed channel 10 at one edge of the strip is illustrated as being inclined or deflected inwardly as indicated at 12 thereby causing the said inclined or deflected wall 12 to firmly press or bind against the inner side of the joint hook 9*, also slightly linclined, of the adjoining metal strip w en the two strips are forced into the common roofing plane.

In all forms of the-invention so far detion. A similar action is involved in the form shown in Figs. 12 and 13 of the draw-v ings wherein the main de nding flange B at one edge of each strip is formed at its bottom edge with an out-turned channeled foot 13 and at the lower ed of its opposite flange B with an inturned ocking and stiffening lip 14 adapted to be engaged in the channel of the foot 13 of the ad oinin metal strip and to hook behind the incline outer flange 14 of the said foot. In this construction the flanges BB of adjoining metal strips A-A are brought fliitly together by the act of rotating the adjoining edges of both of the strips A downward to provide for bringing said strips into the flat roofing plane, as may be readily seen from Figs. 12 and 13 ofthe drawings.

As distinguished from the forms of the f'invention involving the rotative or rockin "action Figs. 14 and 15 and 16' and 17 illustrate joint constructions wherein the strips are brought together and the joint made by a simple relat ve lateral movement of the parts. For instance, as shown in Fi s. 14 to 17 the depending flange B at one e ge of each strip has formed at an intermediate point therein a longitudinally extending inset groove or channel 15- having its upper and lower walls substantially parallel with the flat plane of the strip A and the opposite flange B of the strip is formed with an outstanding joint tongue 16 having upper and lower walls substantially parallel with v the flat plane of the strip A so that the joint parts can be brought together and the joint made by the simple act of moving one strip laterally into matching relation with the adjoining strip. In the form of construction shown in Figs. 14 and 15 of the drawings the flanges BB of the stri s A are shown provided with stifl'enin anges 17 respectively projecting inward y and outwardly,- while in the construction-shown in Figs. 16 and 17 the flanges B of each strip are shown provided with stiffening flanges 18 both facing or pointin inwardl In carrying forward t e invention it is desirable to provide adequate means for covering the joints at the ends of contiguous metal strips or plates and this may be accomplished by an end-.lap of suitable form. A preferable construction for that purpose is shown in the group of Figures 1, 2 and 3,

" vwhichvconsists in cutting back thedepending main side flanges B of each strip, at one end thereof, as indicated at 19, thereby forming or leaving at one end of the strip a projecting joint apron 20 that overlaps, for a substantial distance, one end of the next adjoining metal strip in the same longitudinal row of said strips. This is plainly shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings and i joint which effectively provides an end-la he end joint between the covers and closes t strips.

It has already been pointed out that any suitable surfacing or covering may be placed over the metal roofdeck for waterproofing and insulating purposes and it may be found desirable in some cases to use nailing strips 21 of wood or other suitable material inserted at the top of the side joints asshown in Fig. 18 of the drawings.

From the foregoing it 1s thought thatthe construction and important features of the invention have been pointed out and it will be understood that various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

I claim:-

A metal roof-deck construction including adjoining metal plates formed at their side edges with depending flanges, the flange of one plate being adapted to flatly abut against the flange of an adjoining plate when in the common roofing plane, and the said depending abutting flanges respectively including an inclined overhanging shoulder portion and an inclined rib surface adapted to engage beneath said overhanging shoulder when the plates are assembled by a rocking or rotary movement, and whereby In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

THOMAS H. KANE, 

